Tanaquil Le Clercq, known to all as “Tanny,” was the inspiration and then the wife of one of the greatest geniuses in the history of dance, George Balanchine; she also sparked the creative imagination of Jerome Robbins. In 1954, at the height of her fame, she was paralyzed by polio. The film finds a tone to match Le Clercq’s exquisite dancing and long, lovely physique, well represented in photos, home movies and kinescopes. In addition to being a rich and compelling story of a dancer who can no longer dance and a muse who can no longer inspire, Buirski’s film is also a vivid portrayal of a world and a time gone by. In addition to the breathtaking photos and archival footage, “Afternoon of a Faun” also features interviews with those who knew her, including Jacques D’Amboise and Arthur Mitchell.